Process of and apparatus for coating wire



lnvenon Choes D. Jc'msonl byMMazM NNN@ July 31, 1934 c. D. JOHNSON PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FR COATING WIRE Filed Oct. 50 1931 Patented July. 31, `1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS oF AND APPARATUS Fon coATINaWmE Application October 30, 1931, Serial No. 571,998 7Claims. (01.,91-125)l This invention relates to the production of metal-coated wire and particularly to an-apparatus for producing metalcoated wire which is' straight.

6 There are certain uses to which metal-coated wire is put which requires that the Wire should be straight and also thatthe metal coating on the wire should be free from scratches, mars or other imperfections.

l One common method of producing a straight metal-coated wire is to first provide'the wire with the desired metal coating and then to subject the.

Wire'to a wire-straightening process, preferably by passing it through` a wire-straightening machine. While a straight metal-coated wire may be produced in this way, yet the operation of the wire-straightening machine on the coated wire is apt to scratch or crack, or otherwise injure `the coating, thereby producing imperfections therein, and while such imperfections may be relativelyslight yet they are suicient so'as to be a decided detriment when the wire is put to certain uses.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making a straightened metal-coated wire by which the desired straightness may be incorporated in the wire without injuring any metal coating which is applied to the wire. This end is accomplished by first subjectingr the uncoated wire to the wiref straightening operation thereby to give Athe wire the desired straightness and then subjecting the straightened coated wire to the metal-coating operation in such a way as to provide the Wire with the desired metal coating without, however, bending or distorting or -otherwisemanipulating the Wire so that it will lose any of its straight quality. The metal plating operation involves the step of first cleaning they wire by -subjecting it to an sequently subjecting the wire to the coating bath by which the metal coating is applied tothe Wire, .and in carrying out these steps the wire is first cleaned while in a straight condition by passing it through a fountain of acid material and the washing and plating of the wire is similarly done by passing the wire while in a straight condition through a fountain of water for washinghthe wire and a fountain of plating solution for plating the wire. All this is done without bending the previously straightened wire so that the wire comes from the plating bath in a straight condition )with4 In order to give an understanding of the invenacid bath and then washing the Wire'and sub.

tion I have illustrated in the drawing a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. I

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one C0, manner of practising the invention and one apparatus by which the invention may be practised;

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective View of one of the fountain devices for either washing or plating the Wire;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view illustrating the way in which thewire is cleaned while it is being straightened.

In the drawing 1 indicates the wire which is to be straightened and subsequently plated or coated. The invention is illustrated as it might be used in providing metal wire with coating by subjecting it to the action of an aqueous coating bath, such for'instance as a mixture of blue vitreol and a suitable acid which will result in applying a'copper coating to the wire but it will be understood that the character of theV coating bath is immaterial and that the invention may be practised with coatinglbaths of different characters.

In carrying out my invention I first subject the wire to the action of a wire-straightening machine thereby straightening the wire and-the straightened wire is subsequently treatedwhile it is still in a straight condition toprovide it with the desired metal coating.

The Wire to 4be straightened and coated is shown as being taken from a reel 2 and it is first 90 passed through a wire straightening machine indicated at 3. This wire-straightening machine may be of any suitable or usual construction, that herein shown being of the type known as a rotary Wire-straightening machine. Such machine is shown diagrammatically inthe drawing as its construction and operation is well known to those skilled in the art.

The wire comes from the wire-straightening machine 3 in a straight condition and as stated 100 above it is maintained in its4 straight condition While it is ,being acid treated in a novel way for cleaning the wire and while it is being plated in a novel manner.

The wire is subjected to the acid bath for cleaning it by passing the wire while straight through a fountain ofv acid. Such fountain may be produced as follows, 4 indicates a tank adapted to contain acid 5. Situated within the tank and extending transversely of the length of the :f the top of the troughs 6. Each trough is also provided with a laterally-extending" `flange 9 which likewise is flush with the top of the trough. At each end of the troughs there is an upstanding wall or curb "13. The ends of the troughs are open and the bottom of the troughs are located below the normal level of the acid in the tank 4 so that the troughs will normally be partially lled with acid.

Means are provided for causing the acid in the tank to bubble up through the mouths 7 with a fountain-like effect and one meansfor accomplishing this consists of a perforated pipe 10 in each trough below the acid level therein and through which compressed air is forced. The action of the air bubbling up through the acid causes a sort of bubbling fountain 11 of acid to be carried up through the mouths 7 of the troughs, the acid bubbling up two or three inches above the platform 8 depending on the pressure of the air which is delivered to the pipes 10. The acid which thus bubbles up through the mouth 7 of each trough tends to flow in each direction from said mouth and with the construction shown in Fig. 4 the acid which ows from each mouth 7 onto the platform 8 tends to accumulate on the platform because of the fact that the acid is delivered onto the platform from each side thereof. There will, therefore, be not onlyr the fountains 11 of acid bubbling up through the mouths 7 but there will lbe a puddle 12 of acid on the platform 8.

The troughs 6 are so disposed in the tank 5 forrn 8 and flanges 9 will be slightly above the top edges of the tank and these troughs are so disposed relative to the wire being treated that the straightened wire will pass across the mouth of the troughs and over the platform 8 in close proximity thereto. The wire will thus pass through the bubbling fountains 11 and through the'pond or puddle 12 of acid and will thus be subjected to the necessary acid treatment, this being accomplished without any bending of the previously straightened wire.

Because of the fact that the troughs are partially submerged in the acid bath 5 and because of the further fact that the ends of the troughs are open, the acid will continually flow into the open ends of the troughs thereby maintaining within the troughs a sufficient quantity of acid to form the bubbling fountain' above referred to. The troughs may be long enough so that a plurality of strands of straightened Wire may be drawn across them asshown in Fig. 4 and thus the apparatus illustrated is capable of treating a plurality of strands of wire simultaneously.

As the Wire comes from the acid bath it is subjected to a wiping operation as usual for the purpose of mechanically removing from the wire any scales or foreign matter which has been set free by the operation of the acid. In the present apparatus this wiping of the wire is accomplished by an overhead wiper. Such wiper. is indicated at 14 and it comprises a body of waste or other suitable fibrous material secured to the under side of a supporting member 15 which is pivotally mounted on a rod 16 extending transversely across the tank 4. This rod 16 is shown as carried by two uprights or stands 17 rising from the tank 4 and the supportingmember 15 is shown as having upstandig arms 18 4which are pivotally mounted on the rod 16. With this construction the Wiper is situated at one side of its pivotal point and the weight of thewiper is, therefore, supported by the wire or wires. An advantage of thisV construction is that as the foreign matter which is Awiped off from the wire accumulates on the wire it will drop oi by gravity so that the wiper will remain relatively clean as compared with a wiper which is situated underneath the Wire and over which the wire passes. In the latter case the foreign matter removed from the wire gradually accumulates on the wiper and remains thereon and when a certain amount of foreign matter has accumulated the underneath wiper fails to function properly as the moving wire tends to drag the accumulated mass of foreign matter through the wiper.

There is shown in Fig. 4 a second mass of fibrous material 19 carried by a shelf 20 formed atthe edge of the tank i and over which the Wires 1 pass, but before the wires reachthe wiping material 19 the major portion of the foreign matter has been removed by the overhead wiper 14.

From the acid bath the straightened wire passes through a washing bath by means of which it is washed and then is passed through one or more coating baths by which it is provided with the desired metal coating. The washing bath and coating bath are also applied to the wire by producing in each bath a fountain-like effect through which the Wire is drawn and Fig. 2 shows a device by which this may be secured. In said figure, 21 is a tank or container'adaptedv to contain the water or the plating solution indicated at 22. Situated within this tank is a trough 23 similar to the trough 6, said trough 23 having the open mouth or throat 24. The trough 23 is situated just below the wire 1 as it is carried in a straight line from the acid bath so that the Wire passes just over the throat 01 mouth 24 but closely adjacent thereto. The trough is provided at each side with a laterally-extending flange 25 which is fiush with the top of the trough.

Situated within the trough is a perforated pipe 26 through which compressed air may be delivered and the trough is so placed in the tank 21 that its` bottom will be below the normal liquid Y level. Thetrough is open at its ends so that it will normally be partially filed with liquid. When air under pressure is delivered through the apertures in the pipe 26 it will cause the liquid in the trough 23 to bubble up through the throat 24 to produce a fountain-like effect indicated at 2'7 and this fountain will rise sufficiently above the top of the trough to entirely submerge the Wire which is passing over the top of the trough.

If a device such as shown in Fig. 2 is used for plating the wire then, of coursegthe liquid 22 will be of lproper character to provide a metal coating to the wire as it is drawn through the fountain 27.

In order to keep the plating liquid in the tank 21 properly agitated andvto prevent it from settling there is employed a perforated pipe 28 situated in the bottom of the tank and through which compressed air may be delivered. The air bubbling up through the liquid 22 will keep it thoroughly agitated and of uniform consistency at all parts of the tank so that a uniform plating operation will result.

If desired, the plating bath may be secured by a double fountain effect in a manner similar to that employed for giving the wire its acid treatment. Such double fountain effect is employed lil Labonte?.

vwhere it is desired to subject the wire to the action, of the plating liquid lfor a longer period of time than would result it the wire were simply passed through a single lountain 2'?. v

1n Fig. 1 there is shown the wird-straightening machine 3 for first straightening the wire and then thetank ll in which the wire is subjected to the acid treatment as shown in Fig. and then a tank 2a similar to that shown in Fig. 2 and by means of which the wire is washed to remove from it any surplus acid, and then another vtank 30 similar to what is shown in Fig. 2 which contains a coating solution by which the wire is subjected to a coating operation and then an-y other tank 31 by which a fountain of water is provided fjor washing the wire and then a double t'ountain tank 32 by which a second coating of metal may be applied to the wire and then an= other tank 33 containing water and adapted to produce a water i'ountain for washing the wire. 1i desired, wiping devices of any suitable or usual type, indicated at 311, may be used :tor wiping the wire after each bath.

l'lig. l also shows a device for drying the wire after it has been plated and washed and while it is still. in a straight condition. This drying device is similar to that illustrated in my Patent No. 1,771,379, dated July 22, 1930, and it comprises a bed 35 of suitable granular material and through which the wire is drawn while in a straight condition, said granular material being heated sufflciently to cause a complete evaporation of the moisture on the wire while the wire is embedded in the granular material. lf'his granular material is shown as being carried in a pan 36 which is heated from a suitable furnace 37, an. oil burning furnace being herein shown.

1 have also shown at 38 in Fig. l means for sub-- jecting the wire to a mechanical treatment for mechanically cleaning. the wire. 'llhis device 3b comprises a bed 39 o1 granular abrasive material through which the .wire is drawn, the wire being held in the material by a suitable hold-down member tu which is shown as carried by a screwthreaded stem di screw threaded through the cross bar t2 and which is mounted on the upper end of the container i3 in which the abrasive material is placed. l'he abrasive material 39 tends to scour the wire and partially cleans it, complete cleaning of the wire being accomplished chemically in the acid bath.

My invention, therefore, contemplates the step of first straightening the wire before it is plated and then cleaning the wire and plating it while still straight by passing the wire in a straight condition through fountains of acid for cleaning it and through fountains of plating solution for` plating the wire. The wire will thus come from the plating operation in a perfectly straight condition and with a plating which has not been injured or marredby any mechanical action such as would be given to it through the wire-straightr ening machine.

y open-ended troughs partially submerged in the liquid in said tank, said troughs being connected by a platform flush with the mouth of the troughs, means to draw the Wire to be plated across the `mouths of the troughs and platform in close proximity thereto, and means to cause the liquid' in the troughs to bubble up through the mouths thereof thereby producing a puddle of liquid on the platform between the troughs in which the wire is submerged.

2. 1n a device of the class described, the comA bination. with a liquid-containing tank, oi an openended trough partially submerged in the liquid in said tank and having its mouth slightly above the walls of the tank, means to draw wire' across the mouth ofthe trough in close proximity thereto, means to cause the liquid in the trough to bubble up through the mouth thereof to produce a bubblingfountain through which the wire passes, and a pivotally-mounted wiper resting on. the wire on the delivery side of said trough.

3. .1n a wire-plating machine, the combination with a tank to contain liquid for treating wire, oi an open-ended trough partially submerged in the liquid in said tank, the mouth of the trough being located slightly above the top edge of the tank, means to draw the wire to be treated across the trough in close proximity to the mouth thereof,l and means to cause the liquid in the trough to bubble up through the mouth thereof thereby producing a bubbling fountain through which the wire passes.

d. dn apparatus for treating wire comprising a tank to contain liquid for treating wire, a troughpartially submerged in the liquid in said` tank, said trough having a relatively narrow lil@ mouth situated above the normal liquid level in 1055' the tank and also having an opening through which liquid from the tank may flow into the l,through the mouth thereof thereby yproducing a bubling fountain through which the wire passes.

5'. in apparatus for treating wire comprising a trough containing liquid for treating wire, said M5 trough having a relatively narrow upwardly-directed open mouth, means for drawing the wire 'to be treated over the mouth of the trough in close proximity thereto but out of contact therewith, and means to deliver air into the liquid in 12u the trough, thereby to cause said liquid to bubble up through the open 'mouth of the trough and produce a bubbling fountain rising above the trough and through which the wire passes.

6. An apparatus for treating wire comprising 1275 a trough containing liquid for treating the wire, means for drawing the wire to be treated over the mouth of the trough in close proximity thereto but out of contact therewith, a perforated pipe in said trough through which compressed air is forced, whereby the air bubbling up through the liquid will produce a bubbling fountain of liquid rising through the mouth vof the trough and through which the wire is drawn.

7. An apparatus for treating wire comprising 2.1135 tank to contain liquid for treating wire, a trough partially submerged in the liquid in said tank, said trough having an opening through which liquid from the tank may ow thereinto, means to draw the wire to be treated across the mouth 14h of the trough in close proximity thereto but out of contact therewith, a. perforated pipe in said trough through which compressed air is forced, whereby the air bubbling up through the liquid in the trough will cause a fountain of liquid to rise through the mouth of the trough above the latter and-through which the wire passes.

. CHAS. D. JOHNSON. 

